Strike out and try to make it rich, of course -- the central plot to Stephen Sondheim's musical, "Road Show," currently playing in its Bay Area premiere at the Eureka Theatre in San Francisco.

The Mizners are one of Benicia's pioneer families, coincidentally highlighted by an on-going exhibit at the Benicia Historical Museum, ending this month.

"Road Show" follows two brothers of the Mizner clan, noted architect Addison (Bill Fahrner) and playwright/swindler-extraordinare Wilson (Rudy Guerrero), as they leave the comforts of home behind, initially to find their fortunes in Alaska during the turn-of-the-century Klondike Gold Rush.

Theatre Rhinoceros, a queer theater troupe, did a wonderful job with the stripped-down set pieces and special effects, transforming a single, moveable block into a coffin, bar or veranda, as the scenes call for it. Additionally, the cast members themselves were crucial in developing the show's quirky atmosphere, standing in as a ship's figurehead or creating snow by cutting pieces of paper over the Mizners' heads.

"Road Show," however, suffers from a lack of focus early on after the brothers separate on bitter terms in Alaska. What follows is a meandering yarn as Addison travels through mildly unsettling stereotypes of developing countries, investing in various failed business ventures before finally arriving in New York City.

That's where the brothers reunite, and where Wilson's skill at digging for gold comes in handy when he briefly marries a rich widow and proclaims himself "King of New York."

From there, the plot breathlessly moves to Florida, where Addison finally makes it big by designing rich people's houses, cobbling together his signature eclectic style drawn from his worldly travels.

And it's in Florida where the plot at last stops long enough to delve into the characters and their motivations, albeit not for long and not too deeply. The scenes in Palm Beach, where Addison takes for his lover rich heir Hollis Bessemer (an invented character played by Michael Doppe) and where Wilson returns for a giant real estate scheme, show just how sad the brothers are after a lifetime of

searching.

Most telling is Wilson's advertisement pitch for Boca Raton, which the Mizners and Hollis envision as the Venice of Florida. The constant conman describes life as "A road down which we travel, ever seeking, never satisfied. An endless quest for something different, something better."

Guerrero delivers a powerful performance as Wilson, a man perpetually unsatisfied with his life and looking for that "something."

Unfortunately for both brothers, that "something" was not in Boca Raton. Once again the brothers part ways and return to the road in the desperate search for what they're missing.

A lot is left unsaid by the time "Road Show" reaches its abrupt ending. But as Wilson put it, perhaps it's not about the destination, but the journey.